Paving-block.



Y Ww/M A. V. SAMMIS.

PAVING BLOCK.

AIPI-IOATION FILED MAR. s, 1911.

1,045,328. Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

A ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINuTbN, D. c.

TTED STATES PAT 1 T Fffi PAVING-BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 3,

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

1911. Serial No. 611,996.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT V. SAMMIs, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the village of Huntington, county of Suffolk, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paving-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of this invention is to provide an artificial or molded paving block for use in making roadways and the like, and of such construction and character that it may be laid on a hard dirt foundation without the necessity of first laying a concrete or other artificial foundation.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the paving block that it will be held against individual vertical displacement, each block being finnly locked to all of the abutting and contacting blocks. As these blocks are lald to break joints each block will be interlocked with six adjoining and abutting blocks so that they will each be supported by the surrounding blocks, and a downward strain brought on any one block will be transmit-ted and distributed throughout a large number of interlocked blocks.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the block that it will be interchangeable end for end, and side for side. The advantage of this is that when laying the pavement or roadway the workman may use the blocks just as he finds them and it will not be necessary for him to turn them about in order to bring them in proper relation to the blocks already set. As these blocks are of considerable size and weight, it is manifest that by providing the block which may be brought into proper relation with the blocks already set or laid without a preliminary manipulation, the blocks may be laid much more quickly and with much less labor than a block which must be brought into a specific position and arrangement with respect to the already set blocks.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the blocks that they will be held against longitudinal displacement by reason of the shape of the blocks.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the interlocking portions of the blocks that the downward strain thereon will be transmitted to the vertical faces of adjoining blocks so that there willbe a wedging action between the blocks, thereby relieving, to a considerable extent, the shearing strain on the interlocking lugs or elements.

In the drawings: Figure l is a plan view of a series of blocks laid together; Fig. 2 a horizontal sectional view through one of the blocks; Fig. 3 a side elevation of one block; and Fig. 4 an end elevation thereof.

Referring to the various parts by numerals, 1 designates the block which is preferably formed with the two faces 2 and 2 on each of its longitudinal sides, these faces extending inwardly toward the center of the block and meeting midway the ends of the block, the said block being narrower at the meeting points of these side faces 2 and 2 than it is at its ends. The object of this construction is that when the blocks are laid they will be interlocked against longitudinal displacement, it, of course, being intended that the blocks shall be laid so as to breakjoints as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Each end of each block is provided on one side of its vertical central line with an outwardly projecting lug 3 preferably of pyramid shape, the sides of the pyramid being arranged preferably at an angle of 45 with respect to the vertical side of the block. Adjoining each of said lugs and on the opposite side of the vertical central line of the end is formed a recess or depression 4: adapted to receive the lug 3 of an abut-ting block. The lug 3 on one end of the block is directly in line with the recess 4 in the opposite end of the block so that the recesses and lugs of one end of the block are on opposite sides of the central line of the block from the recesses and lugs on the opposite end of the block, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. By this arrangement of lugs and recesses either end of the block may be interlocked with the end of an adjoining block and it will not be necessary for the workman in laying the block to at any time reverse it end for end in order to properly interlock it with the blocks already laid. This is important for the reason that the blocks are preferably of six or seven inches in thickness and twelve or more inches in length, and are, therefore, of considerable weight, making it very desirable that the workman shall be required to handle them as little as possible in laying them in a roadway.

Each face 2 and 2 is formed wit-h an out wardly extending lug 5 and an inwardly extending recess 6. The face 2* on' one side of the block is directly opposite the face 2 on the opposite side of the block, so that the faces 2 are at diagonally opposite points on: the block and the faces 2 are also diagonally opposite each other. The recesses in the faces 2 are directly opposite the projections on faces 2; and the recesses 6 in the faces 2 are directly opposite the lugs on the faces 2. The lugs on the faces 2 are arranged near the transverse central line of the block; while the projections on the faces 2 are arranged near the ends of the block. By thus arranging the interlocking lugs and recesses the blocks may be reversed side for side and interlocked with the blocks already set, and it will not be necessary for the workman to arrange them in any specific manner, thus saving a large amount of time and labor and correspondingly reducing the cost of laying the roadway.

'It is manifest that in laying the blocks 7 the faces 2 of one block will contact with the corresponding faces 2 of the interlocked blocks; and similar faces 2 of one block will contact with and be locked to corresponding faces 2 of adjoining blocks.

The lugs 5 are all of pyramid shape, the

faces of the pyramid being preferably arranged at 45 with respect to the vertical face of the block. It is also preferable to arrange these lugs and recesses about midway the height of the block and to provide them with broad bases. By inclining the lugs as indicated the downward strain brought on any one of the blocks will be transmitted through said lugs to the sides of the adjoining blocks, said lugs serving as wedges so that the shearing strains will be, to a considerable extent, taken up by the interlocked blocks. It is manifest that when the blocks are laid, each block will be interlocked with six abutting blocks and will be interlocked on all its sides, thus strongly supporting it against vertical strains, and preventing any one block being depressed or elevated out of the horizontal plane of the connected blocks. This is of great importance and renders the roadway very stable. It is clear that if the supporting foundation or bed under any particular block is not as solid as the foundation under surrounding blocks the block having the weaker foundation will be sustained in horizontal alinement with the interlocked blocks and cannot be individually depressed. This is important as it serves to maintain the roadway free of depressions.

In laying the blocks it is intended that there shall be sufficient space between the blocks for the reception of a water-proofing sealing material. This sealing material is preferably tar or a similar water-proofing material.

A great advantage in forming the lugs with vertical faces arranged at an angle of approximately45 with respect to the adjoining vertical faces of the block is that it facilitates the removal of the block from the molds and permits of the use of a twopart mold. mold divided on a line corresponding to one of the diagonal lines of the block and to arrange the sides of the lugs and projections on lines parallel with the sides of th'esaid mold, or substantially so, so that the molded sections may be moved outwardly from each other without disturbing the molded lugs and the recesses. It will, of course, be understood that the lugs and recesses may be of any suitable shape, but lugs formed as described herein will facilitate the process of manufacturing the blocks by making it possible to use a twopart mold and withdraw the mold from the block without any danger of injuring the block.

I prefer to form in the upper surface of each block a longitudinal and a transverse groove which intersect about midway the ends of the block. I also prefer to slightly bevel the edges of the block, the angle of said beveling corresponding with the angle of the sides of the grooves. By this means i the surface of the roadway is ribbed and grooved sufiiciently to prevent vehicle wheels sliding or skidding and also to afford a firm foot-hold for horses.

I propose to use a two-part Having thus fully described my inven- II tion, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A paving block formed with outwardly extending lugs and inwardly extending recesses in its ends, the lug on one end being diagonally arranged with respect to the corresponding lug on the other end, the recess on oneend being similarly diagonally arranged with respect to the recess in the other end, the sides of the block being formed with two inwardly extending faces meeting midway the ends of the block, each of said faces being formed with an outwardly extending lug and an inwardly extending recess, the lugs on one face being diagonally arranged with respect to the lug on the cor responding face on the opposite side of the block, and the recesses of each face being also diagonally arranged with respect to the recesses in the corresponding face on the other side of the block, the lug on one of said faces on each side of the block being arranged close to the middle of said side.

2. A-paving block formed with two sets of interlockinglugs and recesses on each of responding lugs and recesses on the opposite side, the lugs being pyramidal in form and the recesses being of corresponding form to receive said lugs.

3. A paving block formed with two sets of inter-locking lugs and recesses on each of its sides, the lugs on one side being directly opposite the recesses on the other side, and the lugs and recesses of one side being diagonally arranged with respect to the corresponding lugs and recesses on the opposite side, the lugs being tapered outwardly and the recesses correspondingly tapered inwardly, and one inclined face of the lug being prolonged inwardly to form an inclined surface of the adjoining recess, whereby the lug on an adjoining block may be moved along said inclined face into the said recess.

4. A paving block having an outwardly extending lug and a corresponding inwardly extending recess formed in each of its Vertical surfaces, the lugs tapering outwardly and the recesses tapering correspondingly inwardly, one face of each lug being prolonged inwardly to form one surface of the adjoining recess. a

5. A paving block having an outwardly extending lug and a corresponding inwardly extending recess for each of its vertical surfaces, the under surfaces of the lugs abruptly inclining upwardly and outwardly and the lower surfaces of the recesses abruptly inclining upwardly and inwardly, whereby a downward strain on the blocks will result in a lateral or sidewise thrust.

6. A paving block having an outwardly extending lug and a corresponding inwardly extending recess for each of its vertical surfaces, the upper surfaces of the lugs abruptly inclining outwardly and downwardly and the under surfaces of the lugs abruptly inclining upwardly and outwardly, the corresponding surfaces of the recesses having corresponding inclinations, whereby a downward strain on the blocks will result in a sidewise or lateral thrust.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT V. SAMMIS. Witnesses F. R. MILLER, A. E. PETTERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

